


Echo

by WroughtBetwixt



Series: JohnWard Prompts [14]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Blood, Chronic Illness, Face Punching, Hiding Medical Issues, Lies, M/M, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 07:58:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2380772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WroughtBetwixt/pseuds/WroughtBetwixt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Make me believe it.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Echo

**Author's Note:**

> References happenings in "Odds and Ends".

“I’m Grant Ward, agent of SHIELD.”  
  
 _Crack_. “Make me believe it.”  
  
“I’m Grant Ward, agent of SHIELD.”  
  
 _Crack._ “Again.”  
  
“I’m _Grant Ward_ , agent of _SHIELD_.”  
  
The third strike echoed through the empty hall.   
  
Grant blinked, waiting for the stars to clear out from in front of his eyes. He could feel blood dripping down his mouth and cheek, and the spot under his right eye ached. “Rough hit there, old man.”  
  
“I believed it.”  
  
“John.” Grant moved off the wall he’d fallen back against, closing the small space between him; there was a pensive look in John’s eyes that Grant didn’t like. He brushed his fingers over John’s bloodied hand. “This’ll be over soon, and then we can disappear. Start over.”  
  
Picking up a towel from a nearby table, John dabbed at the blood coming from Grant’s mouth. “Retire to Wyoming? Works for me. What about you?”  
  
“I go where you go.”  
  
John paused, holding the cloth to the wound under Grant’s eye; Grant placed his hand over John’s, and John’s gaze traveled over Grant’s ring finger. There was still a faint tan-line, where his ring had once been. They couldn’t wear them anymore, hadn’t been able to for a while. Too many questions. But it was a reminder, and looking up into Grant’s eyes, John could still see the same devotion there that he’d seen all those years ago. He wanted to tell Grant everything, just then. The attacks getting worse, the pain getting worse, the sickness advancing through his body. That he was dying.   
  
Instead, he forced a smile. “Showtime, then.”  
  
Grant smiled back, leaning in and giving John a gentle kiss. “It’s going to be okay.”  
  
And then he was gone, striding out of the room like a damn hero. John waited until he heard the sound of the plane taking off. He let out a breath, sinking into the nearest chair and waiting for the surge of pain in his body to pass. “One lie at a time, kid,” he murmured. “One lie at a time.”


End file.
